# Ethereal Test Validator

During early stage development, it is often convenient to target a cluster with fewer restrictions and more configuration options than the public offerings provide. This is easily achieved with the Ethereal`-test-validator` binary, which starts a full-featured, single-node cluster on the developer's workstation.

### Advantages

* No RPC rate-limits
* No airdrop limits
* Direct on-chain program deployment (`--bpf-program ...`)
* Clone accounts from a public cluster, including programs (`--clone ...`)
* Configurable transaction history retention (`--limit-ledger-size ...`)
* Configurable epoch length (`--slots-per-epoch ...`)
* Jump to an arbitrary slot (`--warp-slot ...`)

### Installation

The Ethereal`-test-validator` binary ships with the EtherealNetwork CLI Tool Suite. Install before continuing.

### Running

First take a look at the configuration options

```
Ethereal-network-test-validator --help
```

Next start the test validator

Ethereal-network-test-validator

By default, basic status information is printed while the process is running. See Appendix I for details

Ledger location: test-ledger

Log: test-ledger/validator.log

Identity: EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8

Genesis Hash: 4754oPEMhAKy14CZc8GzQUP93CB4ouELyaTs4P8ittYn

Version: 1.6.7

Shred Version: 13286

Gossip Address: 127.0.0.1:1024

TPU Address: 127.0.0.1:1027

JSON RPC URL: <http://127.0.0.1:8899>

⠈ 00:36:02 | Processed Slot: 5142 | Confirmed Slot: 5142 | Finalized Slot: 5110 | Snapshot Slot: 5100 | Transactions: 5142 | ◎499.974295000

Leave Ethereal-test-validator running in its own terminal. When it is no longer needed, it can be stopped with ctrl-c.

### Interacting

Open a new terminal to interact with a running Ethereal`-test-validator` instance using other binaries from the EtherealNetwork CLI Tool Suite or your own client software.

**Configure the CLI Tool Suite to target a local cluster by default**[**#**](https://docs.velas.com/apps/test-validator#configure-the-cli-tool-suite-to-target-a-local-cluster-by-default)

Etherealconfig set --url <http://127.0.0.1:8899>

**Verify the CLI Tool Suite configuration**

Etherealgenesis-hash

* **NOTE**: The result should match the `Genesis Hash:` field in the Ethereal`-test-validator` status output

**Check the wallet balance**

Etherealbalance

* **NOTE**: `Error: No such file or directory (os error 2)` means that the default wallet does not yet exist. Create it with Ethereal`-keygen new`.
* **NOTE**: If the wallet has a zero XZO balance, airdrop some localnet ETRL with Ethereal`airdrop 10`

**Perform a basic transfer transaction**

Etherealtransfer EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8 1

**Monitor `msg!()` output from on-chain programs**

Ethereallogs

* **NOTE**: This command needs to be running when the target transaction is executed. Run it in its own terminal

### Appendix I: Status Output

Ledger location: test-ledger

* File path of the ledger storage directory. This directory can get large. Store less transaction history with `--limit-ledger-size ...` or relocate it with `--ledger ...`

Log: test-ledger/validator.log

* File path of the validator text log file. The log can also be streamed by passing `--log`. Status output is suppressed in this case.

Identity: EPhgPANa5Rh2wa4V2jxt7YbtWa3Uyw4sTeZ13cQjDDB8

* The validator's identity in the \[gossip network]

Version: 1.6.7

* The software version

Gossip Address: 127.0.0.1:1024

TPU Address: 127.0.0.1:1027

JSON RPC URL: <http://127.0.0.1:8899>

The network address of the \[Gossip], \[Transaction Processing Unit] and \[JSON RPC] service, respectively

⠈ 00:36:02 | Processed Slot: 5142 | Confirmed Slot: 5142 | Finalized Slot: 5110 | Snapshot Slot: 5100 | Transactions: 5142 | ◎499.974295000

Session running time, current slot of the three block commitment levels, slot height of the last snapshot, transaction count, voting authority balance